In an effort to combat the opioid epidemic, doctors may be overprescribing anti-seizure drugs as an alternative, according to a letter from researchers published in of the New England Journal of Medicine. Physicians are frequently prescribing the epilepsy drugs Neurontin (gabapentin) and Lyrica (pregabalin) to treat chronic pain.

However, these medications are only FDA-approved to treat certain types of pain, and may cause serious side effects if prescribed for the wrong type of pain symptoms. Some of the side effects patients have experienced include allergic reaction, fatigue, balance problems, impotence, change in bowel movements, sluggishness, confusion and dizziness. Researchers have suggested that doctors direct patients toward non-drug methods of pain management instead, such as physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Posted August 2, 2017. Via US News.

Researchers concluded a clinical trial early when they found that patients who were using a corticosteroid called methylprednisolone experienced severe side effects, including such serious infections as pneumonia and meningitis. The research team randomly administered either methylprednisolone pills or an inactive placebo to 262 patients with a kidney disease that causes inflammation (immunoglobulin A [IgA] nephropathy). The study’s results, which are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that nearly 15% of patients experienced a serious “adverse event” –- mainly infections –- over a 2-year period. Posted August 1, 2017. Via Health Day.

Pregnant women who take opioid painkillers together with psychiatric drugs for depression or anxiety during pregnancy have a greater risk of giving birth to an infant in withdrawal, according to a Harvard Medical School study. The study found that the risk and severity of drug withdrawal symptoms in newborns significantly increased when opioids were taken with psychiatric drugs, particularly antidepressants, benzodiazepines such as Valium (diazepam) and the seizure drug Neurontin (gabapentin). After examining more than 200,000 pregnant women, researchers found that mothers who took narcotic painkillers — such as OxyContin or morphine — with psychiatric drugs have a 30% to 60% greater risk of giving birth to an infant in withdrawal than those taking opioids alone. The highest risk of withdrawal — more than 11% — occurred with a mother’s use of gabapentin along with a narcotic painkiller. Posted August 2, 2017. Via Health Day.

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Alanna McCatty

Alanna McCatty is founder and CEO of McCatty Scholars, an organization that devises and implements financial literacy programs for students to combat the nationwide issue of the loss of educational opportunity due to the ramifications of burdensome student debt. At MedShadow, she reports on new findings and research on the side effects of prescription drugs. She is a graduate of Pace University.